8th (Isle of Wight Rifles, Princess Beatrice's) Territorial Battalion, the Hampshire Regiment cap badge

The Isle of Wight Volunteers raised in the Napoleonic wars and disbanded in 1815, and the unit of the same name raised in 1859 to defend against Napoleon III. It may have been at this time that the Battalion adopted the green and black uniforms associated with Rifle units. In 1880 the unit became the 1st Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteer Corps and in 1885 they were incorporated into the Hampshire Regiment as 5th (Isle of Wight, Princess Beatrice’s) Volunteer Battalion. In 1908 the name again changed, now to 8th (Princess Beatrice’s Isle of Wight Rifles) Battalion, the Hampshire Regiment. It was at this date that this badge was adopted. Immediately following the First World War it was planned to change the unit’s role to artillery but in the face of strong opposition this was defeated. However, in 1937, the change of role was made and it became Princess Beatrice’s (Isle of Wight Rifles) Heavy Brigade, Royal Artillery. In 1938 this became 530th Coast Artillery Regiment (Princess Beatrice’s Isle of Wight Rifles) RA. The unit was permitted to retain not only its cap badge but also its black buttons and black and green ceremonial dress, the only unit in the Royal Artillery permitted this distinction, earning them the nickname of “the green gunners”.